Testimonials

What our students say about their cooking experience

Bonny B. and Kate Z. of Massachusetts. wrote:

We want to express our appreciation for the time that we spent together today. You are a most talented chef to be sure. It is clear that you truly put your entire being into making the day an excellent experience. We thank you for everything. It was a fabulous meal…the best we have had in Paris … C’est un jour formidable! Merci bien!”

 

Angel S. of New Jersey wrote:

The class was great! Enjoyed the market and learning about many things – produce – live shrimp lots of food – Run to chop and chat – enjoyed meeting your friends Jane and Hunter. Wish you many successes for your restaurant and all – Tapas Bar too. Thanks so much for a wonderful day.

 

MaryPat W. of CT. wrote:

I loved the class. The shopping trip was amazing prior to going to the market with Samira was so much fun… I had always been intimidated to venture into a French market, but all of the vendors knew Samira and showed her their best products. The food was healthy and made with the highest quality ingredients. Her apartment is quite special and her kitchen is immaculate! Many thanks. I will book the class again.

Tracy H. of Aspen, Colorado wrote:

Thank you Samira for your kindness and sharing your talents and love of cuisine with Kent and I. I felt so privileged to be here in your lovely home and hope you and James will come to Aspen and to Salt Lake City to be our guests. I have a very deep desire to learn to cook and I really want to be “you” when I grow up. I truly am very excited to try your recipes. Let’s see each other soon! Love and warm friendship.

Kent M. of Utah wrote:

Outstanding! The presentation was exciting, professional with incredible sensitivity to personal focus. Samira is a true expert in the are of science of cooking. Her friendly delivery and attention to the details of food preparation and presentation was everything I had hoped for. Tracy and I will be back for more advice and friendship.

Cathy R. and Elizabeth R. of PA. wrote:

This was a wonderful experience. Samira is not only a terrific chef but she is delightful to be with. Thank you for making our trip to Paris so memorable. We hope to see you and have another class with you either in Paris or in the USA.

Barrett B. of PA. wrote:

Entertaining, easy to follow instruction of very delicious, satisfying food – good tips for the kitchen. A very rewarding experience. Samira, you welcome us into your home like we have known you forever, thank you for a wonderful day.

Barbara C. of PA. wrote:

This class was wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day from market to finished product. This was a wonderful experience which I hope to be able to do again soon. Thank you for providing this opportunity for me to learn the principles of French cooking and to experience your most pleasant personality.

Carlee K. of MA. wrote:

I thoroughly enjoyed learning all the new tricks and tips of your style of cooking. You made it so approachable and easy to replicate. I love your easy-no fuss style. It absolutely fits with my lifestyle. Thank you for showing me how to take what I am learning at culinary school in the US and apply it in a more reasonable way that fits my life. Merci! Everything was Delicious.

Joan H. of AZ. wrote:

I have no suggestions for improvement! This was a delightful day and more than I expected. I really feel like I can cook the things you showed us today. I am not a great cook at this point but you have given me confidence to try these delicious recipes. I would be interested in taking another class from you. Thank you so much, you were fun.

Aaron S. of Canada wrote:

There is nothing that could have improved our day. From the outset the experience was candid, entertaining and inspiring. Samira is a wonderful hostess, chef and personality. I would like to wish her continued success and sincere happiness although she probably needs little outside help! Thank you Samira for making this our best day in Paris.

 

Jill Z. of Canada wrote:

This has been an amazing day filled with new experience, laughter, fantastic food and education. My expectations have been surpassed. The market gave us an experience we would not have gotten anywhere else on our own. I will remember all of the little tips you gave along the way. Samira, you are the most incredible hostess and a wonderful chef and teacher. Thank you. PS. I will send all my friends and family who come to Paris to see you!

Jonene E. wrote (November 2007):

Learning to cook with Samira in Paris was a delightful experience. The shopping trip to the markets was fabulous. I was so impressed especially with the fish market, the best I have ever seen anywhere. The cooking experience was so much fun. Samira taught us little things I had never known before, like how to “seed” garlic. The five course meal we prepared was beautiful and delicious, and dining in Samira’s lovely home was the perfect ending. Merci Samira for making Paris a “Moveable Feast”, to quote Hemingway. I plan to re-live and remember the experience by preparing the same meal for my husband and some friends here in the USA!

“Jonice H. from Utah wrote:

We enjoyed working with chef Samira. She provided for our film crew an excellent presentation on herbs. We shopped with her at the market and then went to her home. She gave us an excellent presentation for our TV show as well as cooking for us – which we did not expect or require – because it was already 5:00 pm! Chef Samira far exceeded the time for giving the demonstration and prepared a gourmet meal which we will never forget! She far exceeded our expectations! We learned great tips for using and preparing herbs, which only a master chef can deliver. It was great to share her expertise for a day.”

“Sarah M. (14 years old) from NY wrote:

This cooking class was a fabulous choice. The trip to the market was really fun, and also informative. I had a chance to see foods I’d never seen before and even touch and taste them. Samira is so open to any questions and willing to answer all of them. I felt completely comfortable in her company. The cooking was some of the best I’d ever done. I learned great new tips that I will use in all my future cooking adventures. The food and atmosphere that Samira created was so warm and welcoming. I was so full after the meal, I thought I would never eat again. The salmon with ginger sauce was the best fish I’ve ever had. I hope that lots of other people have a chance to experience Samira’s amazing cooking and also her kind character.”

“Dan Denoon from Atlanta, Georgia wrote:

Chef Samira Hradsky is an old friend 10 minutes after you meet her. She is an outstanding cook, an excellent teacher, and a radiant personality. The trip to the market was like Sesame Street for adults – many friendly characters eager to teach and to laugh. Husband James, if you are lucky enough to meet him, is elegant, witty and expert in French wines. What fun.”

“I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know again how much my wife, Diane, and I enjoyed your class. The lunch/dinner at your home was the best meal we had in Paris. In fact, the day after our class we had dinner at the Tour D’Argent and it paled by comparison. We were so disappointed that we cancelled reservations at Guy Savoy. As far as we are concerned you are the best restaurant in Paris.”

“The dishes we prepared in class were extraordinary, and I agree with James they were better than anything you could get in a restaurant, no matter how many stars. You have two gifts absolutely essential in a teacher – patience and generosity. You responded to my love of cooking with your own, and I learned more in two days that I have ever since I first pot to stovetop. The knife skills you showed me were worth the price of admission by themselves! Thank you for sharing your home, your passion and your vast knowledge and experience. Your classes were amount the high points of my first visit to Paris.”

“If there was a woman like Samira in every city of the world there would be no wars! Food, and the pleasure afforded in its preparation and presentation, is truly a uniting force – and Samira’s warmth and hospitality are disarming, charming and informative. What a joy!”

The US Ambassador to Mali, whose wife attended cooking classes, wrote: “Let me express my heartfelt, stomach-certified appreciation for what you are doing with the cooking class. Of course I will personally benefit for years to come. But our whole community benefits from this example of camaraderie and shared learning. Your class has brought various elements of our community together in marvelous ways. So thanks for this extra spark to our common life.”

“One word describes our unique experience … “Magnifique” I can’t wait to practice all my newly learned tools. Samira was charming, gracious, and above all an awesome chef/teacher. We had a blast meeting, learning, smelling, tasting and handling the great foods of Paris. From the fish market to the cheese store to the bakery to Samira’s kitchen we were made to feel welcome and at home. I would recommend this experience to anyone! Thanks and I hope to see you in my kitchen when you visit the States.”

“Two friends and I spent a remarkable time with Samira. She met us at the metro stop and we went to the local marché Poncelet to get provisions for our luncheon. In her state-of-the-art kitchen we spent three hours learning by watching, by doing, by talking – before sitting down to a delicious, many-layered meal. As we prepare to leave we realize with delight that three friends are saying not “goodbye” but “au revoir” to another friend, Samira.”

“From start finish it was a wonderful, fun, enlightening experience. Samira was instantly easy to be with and open to questions – which she was able to answer – and it was charming to see the Parisian markets in the 17th. She was also happy to act as tour guide, and to add her knowledge of Paris architecture. In cooking Samira worked us through everything carefully, and I greatly appreciated making two dishes for each course so we felt like we were learning as much as possible in a one-day class. I must say I learned a lot of tricks and unique approaches I have never read about in a cookbook. Samira is so passionate and enthusiastic – it rubs off, and particularly in such tense international times as these, her philosophies about the uniting power of food are very welcome. And – LOVED ALL THE EQUIPMENT! Thanks!”

“What a delightful day we had going to the markets to choose our produce, fish, breads, and flowers. Samira conversed easily with each purveyor sharing secrets for choosing the perfect eggplant, lettuce, and tomatoes. The rest of our day was spent in Samira’s lovely kitchen learning wonderful tricks of cooking terrines, stews, tarte tatin and delicious cream sauces. Samira is a truly engaging cook who so obviously loves sharing her love of fresh ingredients and good recipes with people. My mom and I enjoyed the time spent cooking which led us to the ultimate treat, eating what we cooked. It was truly a delightful day and we learned a lot! I can’t wait to try the recipes out when I get home.”

“What a joy this has been! Exploring the market place on a Paris morning in December where our hostess and chef Samira awakened our senses and tickled our palates with all the marvelous foods offered in this amazing city. Returning to Samira’s home with our fresh plucked ingredients, we were overcome with the warmth, welcoming coziness of our hostess’s kitchen. We sipped wine, chopped, chattered and had a great time preparing our six course dinner that began with a delightful salmon mousse and ended with the classic French Tart Tatin and Creme Brulee. In between we feasted on lamb, roasted potatoes, ocean fresh salmon, and a large variety of French cheeses. Feel free to bring your children to this wonderfully French experience. Our day with Samira in the beauty of her home and the generosity of her spirit will be the highlight of our stay in “the city of light!”

“Thank you so much, Samira, for a wonderful cooking day in your lovely home. Your method of teaching is so relaxed and informal that no one was afraid to ask a question. I can’t wait to go home and try the recipes, especially the lamb. If I could get fresh salmon at home I might start to like it. Thank you for making salmon taste good to me. I wish we could have helped you more with the chopping, etc. When you publish your book, let us know – we will buy some. Next time we are in Paris, we will come again for another class.”

“Samira was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed her class. She is an amazing cook. Everything was delicious, and there was so much food! I didn’t think I could eat another drop but yet, I didn’t want to stop eating!! She provided so many good tips and clear instructions that in addition to having a wonderful time, I really learned a lot. She made it all look so easy too. I’m excited to try the recipes again, now that I’m home. It was my best meal in all of Paris, and we ate at some wonderful restaurants. Really, everything was unbelievably delicious. It’s so obvious that Samira does this out of pure enjoyment of cooking, and meeting people. It was just a great experience on all levels, she was so delightful, funny, warm and hospitable. We had the pleasure of spending some time with her husband James, and a few of their friends, who were equally warm and interesting. It felt like I was spending the day with old friends. Her class was truly the highlight of my week in Paris.”

“Today was a warm & wonderful slice of Parisian life. The shopping for ingredients at the market, cooking together in Samira’s home & then eating the bounty. This is a way to learn about the real Paris and also take some of France home. I have a menu to make for friends. I learned kitchen tips and serving tips and I’m ready to entertain family & friends who I left behind. I hope I get to come again.”

Mary R. of TX. wrote:

Samira, a million thank you for making French cooking so understandable. Your directions were transparent and I can hardly wait for my husband to be the beneficiary of your lessons.

Panny M. of TX. wrote:

Absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much for the experience. This is so doable, which I will do upon my return home. Thank you.

Beth M. of TN. wrote:

What a great day! The market trip was fantastic. The instructions were clear and dialogue was fun. I would do this again any time! Thank you so much Samira! Your food was amazing and I can’t wait to play with these recipes soon!

Mitch M. of TN. wrote:

The class was a wonderful experience. I’m so glad I made the decision to attend the class with my wife.

Oliver R. of OH. wrote,

It was wonderful!!!! Just what I was hoping for when signing up for a French cooking class! Good food and a good friend, an experience not to be missed.

“It is always a lot of fun to observe your extraordinary magic in the kitchen. We can’t wait until your cookbook comes out! We’ll be first in line.”

“Thank you again for great cooking course. I’ll never be able to match you in the kitchen but you have provided me with enough skills and confidence to hold my own against the amateurs.”

“I think of you every time I cook, and BLESS YOU every time. Your recipes have saved my life. I don’t even bother with any other recipes anymore. Yours are my bible”

“What a wonderful day! Samira was funny, professional, thorough, and a dazzling hostess. If you’re intimidated by the thought of French cooking–don’t be! Samira will put you at ease with her easy manner and extensive knowledge of cooking, eating, drinking, and entertaining. I highly recommend this class.”

Brenda T. of OH wrote:

This was one of the best – not one of the best – THE best cooking class I have taken. The recipes are wonderful and walking with Samira through the market was delightful. She instantly seemed like an old friend – but she now is a friend that I hope to have for many many years. This was fantastic!!

Margaret H. of MI  wrote (November 2007):

What a wonderful way to spend a day in Paris! Learning how to cook new things and metting new people. Samira makes cooking look so easy. She is a master and a great teacher with a wonderful depth of knowledge. The time flew by and we were surprised at how fast the time passed and what fun we had. Brava!